Applications of redundancy analysis for the detection of chemical response patterns to air pollution in lichen

The lichens Ramalina celastri (Spreng.) Krog & Swinsc., Punctelia microsticta (Müll. Arg.) Krog and Canomaculina pilosa (Stizenb.) Elix & Hale were transplanted simultaneously to 17 urban-industrial sites in a northwestern area of Córdoba city, Argentina. The transplantation sites were set according to different environmental conditions: traffic, industries, tree cover, building height, topographic level, position in the block and distances from the river and from the power plant. Three months later, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, phaeophytin a, soluble proteins, hydroperoxy conjugated dienes, malondialdehyde concentration and sulfur accumulation were determined, and a pollution index was calculated for each sampling site. Redundancy analysis was applied to detect the variation pattern of the lichen variables that can be 'best' explained by the environmental variables considered. The present study provides information about both the specific pattern response of each species to atmospheric pollution, and environmental conditions that determine it. As regards pollutants emission sources R. celastri showed a chemical response associated mainly with pollutant released by the power plant and traffic. P. microsticta and C. pilosa responded mainly to industrial sources. Regarding environmental conditions that affect the spreading of air pollutants and their incidence on the bioindicator, the topographic level and tree cover surrounding the sampling site were found to be important for R. celastri, tree cover surrounding the sampling site and the building height affected P. microsticta, while building height did so for C. pilosa.

Portfolio delivery approach to township sewage treatment facilities in China: a case study

 The wide need for sewage treatment facilities at the township level across China implies an emerging niche market for water and sanitation developers, investors and financiers. However this potential market is difficult to enter with traditional financing and delivery methods, because township sewage features small amount, volatile quantity, geographically scattering, immature fee charging system, weak affordability, and lack of capacities. A group of concession sewage treatment projects collectively implemented by a private company in the Changsha County of Hunan Province under the so called ‘Changsha Model’ provided innovative solutions. This cases study first examined the portfolio approach in terms of multiple delivery method integration, technology, and centralized control system, and evaluated the replicability of the new model. Practices and lessons learned from the case were then presented and summarized that can be applied to the following township sewage treatment facility development. Last, the Changsha Model was compared with similar infrastructure portfolio delivery solutions applied in the US.

Pollution, health and economic growth

This paper examines the growth impacts of aid allocation on healthcare and pollution abatement in an endogenous growth model, and finds that the aid tied to them contributes positively to the equilibrium growth rate. Nonetheless, the growth rate can be reduced or even impaired if the ratio of aid on pollution abatement is lowered.